Most of my recipe are for grownups and recently a young friend asked me why I didn’t put up easy things that kids could make, especially around Christmas and make the recipe simple enough that mums and dads didn’t have to help other than the oven. Well, that gave me food for thought.

It’s been a long time since I had young ones and my grands are 10,000 miles away so I don’t get to cook with them very often.

Then I saw Bakerette’s post for Chocolate Crinkles and I knew I was on to a good idea. My execution wasn’t 100% but I’ll know better next time. I pushed the M&Ms in too far and that messed with the icing sugar and they didn’t look so crinkly. Keep the ball shape as much as you can.

I used red velvet cake mix (because it was holiday red) and I used red & green Christmas M&Ms for the top. I don’t know that they needed the candy on the top but kids like adding things so I used them.

Dump the cake mix in a mixer, add 2 eggs and half a cup of butter nearly melted (just pop it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds depending upon how cold the butter was) and some vanilla extract. Mix until it all comes together, about 2 minutes.

Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (if you can last that long) and then take a teaspoon of dough in your hands and form into balls and then roll in icing sugar. Place on cookie sheet on baking paper and bake for 10-12 minutes or just until the cookies are set. They are cakey, not crunchy cookies.

When you take them out of the oven, slide the baking paper on to a cooling rack and see who burns their mouth first having the first bite. Remember the M&M is going to be really hot right out of the oven.

Notes:

Red Velvet cake mix goes straight through – you’re not dying, it’s the food coloring. Best not to peek after you poo. It’s like eating too many beets, you’re sure you’re dying of something.

Use a devil’s food cake mix and make the same way and turn them into whoopie pies Or spice cake crinkle cookies.